


through a dark channel

by MiniNephthys



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, Spoilers, Suicidal Thoughts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-21
Updated: 2015-12-21
Packaged: 2018-05-08 06:35:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 535
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5487251
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MiniNephthys/pseuds/MiniNephthys
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>'Cowardly' thoughts don't go away so quickly.</p>
            </blockquote>





	through a dark channel

Sometimes Frisk worries about Alphys.

They can’t be in her head, because they can’t be in any head but their own. But they remember some things she said to them, down there in the laboratory’s dusty air, and years have given them a better idea of what she meant when she talked about doing ‘cowardly’ things.

They think it’s a little like what brought them to the mountain. Not the same, because no one is ever really the same. But similar.

So they keep an eye on Alphys, a little more than they do with their other friends. They let her have her space, when she doesn’t feel up to going out with them and everyone else, but they’re quick to check up on her afterwards to see if she wants to do something a little more low-key. They visit frequently and ask her how she’s doing, and they sometimes push a little bit.

Because they worry. It’s always been their job to worry about everyone else, more than it is to be any sort of ambassador.

Because they understand, as much as anyone can understand.

Because they want to help.

* * *

Sometimes Alphys worries about Frisk.

Well, that’s no surprise, really - everyone in her group loves Frisk and would hate to see them get hurt. She knows Undyne’s punched someone’s lights out more than once for picking on them, and they bring out Mettaton’s rare protective streak. There’s hardly a monster that doesn’t want to see them happy.

But she worries about them anyway, even if there’s not much she could do if someone hassled them. And, besides… They work themselves so hard, trying to be the best ambassador possible and make sure nothing bad happens between humans and monsters. A lot of the time they seem exhausted, even though they’re usually smiling when they’re with their friends. They rarely ever admit to being upset.

She’s heard the legends of the mountain. She wonders why they climbed it in the first place. It’s probably just her projecting, but-

Well. It probably wouldn’t hurt to let them know that they don’t need to be perfect. That they’re worthwhile even if they make mistakes sometimes. The kind of lessons that they taught her.

She just wants to help.

* * *

Words are hard to place for both of them.

Frisk leads, as per usual. They look at her between videos, really look at her, and ask, “Is it okay if I ask you something personal?”

“Sure! A-anything you want.” That stammer has never really left Alphys’ voice, though she’s tried to become more confident.

They’re silent for a moment. “Those things you talked about, when we were in your underground lab. Do you… still think about doing those things?”

She jolts a little, bites her tongue for a moment, then answers. “...Sometimes. Not as much as before, but still sometimes.”

They nod like that was the answer they’d expected.

“Do you e-ever think about it?”

They nod again. Silence falls for a minute, with neither of them sure how to proceed.

Finally, Alphys says, “But we won’t, right?”

“We won’t,” says Frisk.

Even if that resolve will sway, for the moment, it helps to hear it from each other.


End file.
